Biology

Biology

Oribi are commonly found in pairs or in groups of as many as seven (2). Such groups usually have a single adult male (2), and up to three adult females (3). These groups are territorial (2), and will mark the boundaries of their territory with urine, faeces and secretions from the preorbital glands on their faces (2). Active during the day, oribi graze on fresh grass during the wet season, and browse on shrubs when drought occurs. To supplement their diet, oribi visits mineral licks every few days (4). Although oribi may give birth throughout the year, birthing is said to be most common in the rainy months (4), when there is plentiful food and cover (2). After a gestation period of 200 to 210 days, a single young is born (2). Male oribi become sexually mature by 14 months, while females can conceive at the age of just 10 months (4). If threatened by a predator, the oribi will remain hiding in tall grass until the predator is within a few metres. It will then leap through the grass and bound along, flashing the conspicuous white underside of its tail which serves as a warning to other oribi (2). Oribi will also produce a shrill whistle when alarmed and are seen to jump vertically up with all four legs straight and the back arched when they are under threat, known as stotting (4).